Deliverable D4.5 - List of potential actions for breeders from the participatory strategic assessments

Abstract

Neglected and underutilised crops (NUCs) can contribute to more resilient and diversified food systems, but their breeding faces a structural challenge: small and uncertain markets must support long and costly breeding, testing and seed multiplication processes, while varietal success also depends on farmer adoption, processing capacity and market development. This report is based on participatory strategic assessments of breeding trends and opportunities carried out through foresight work in France, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Sweden and Denmark, documented in the Deliverable D4.6 of the DIVINFOOD project. It translates findings of a multi-actor approach into practical options for private and public breeders, researchers, breeder-farmers and other breeding organisations. A central finding is that no single breeding model is sufficient across NUCs and contexts. Five complementary options are proposed: Broaden breeding objectives and portfolios, including adaptation to diversified and low-input systems. Develop participatory breeding and value-chain co-innovation, involving farmers and other users earlier in breeding. Share investment and innovation risks, particularly where seed-market revenues alone cannot sustain breeding. Combine complementary breeding and seed capacities rather than relying on isolated programmes. Select technologies according to purpose, accessibility and context, rather than treating technological innovation as an objective in itself. These options form a strategic menu, not a universal model. Their implementation depends on crop, market and organisational conditions and, in some cases, on enabling research, financing and policy frameworks. The main perspective is therefore to diversify not only crops and varieties, but also the actors, partnerships, financing arrangements and innovation pathways through which breeding is organised.